How to feed blackberries

Blackberries are very popular among domestic gardeners, and there are a number of reasons for this. Its dark purple, and sometimes black fruits, reminiscent of raspberries, are more dense and can be stored for a long time, unlike the latter. Their ripening begins later than the raspberries ripen, the fruiting period lasts until the second half of autumn in the case of proper plant care. The taste of blackberry fruits directly depends on the proper care of the bushes, especially on the competent application of dressings. A sufficient amount of potassium plays an especially important role, since without this important element, blackberries do not fully ripen, remain small and sour. Top dressing allows blackberries to fully show their taste, regardless of the plant variety. We will find out how you can feed the blackberry.

Introduction

Blackberries are eaten fresh, and are also used for canning and making preserves, jams, fruit drinks. The vitamin C contained in them in large quantities makes them no less useful food than citrus fruits. The leaves of blackberry bushes are also used in the kitchen - when dried, they are used to make tea mixtures.

Blackberries compare favorably with other horticultural crops, including raspberries:

1) The high resistance of blackberries to drought allows them to successfully take root and bear fruit in the southern regions of the country.

2) On average, the yield of blackberries is 3 times higher than the number of raspberries harvested from the same area of ​​the site.

3) Blackberries are immune to most diseases and are rarely attacked by harmful insects.

Procedures Required Before Feeding Blackberries

The autumn cultivation of the area set aside for planting blackberries is very important, as it allows you to prepare the land and plants for wintering.

In the autumn months, it is necessary to apply fertilizers rich in potassium and phosphorus to the soil. Superphosphates, which do not differ in their speed of distribution in the soil, will retain their properties until the next season. A good choice for feeding blackberries in the fall is regular wood ash. In the intervals between the beds of blackberries, grooves are dug where you need to pour ash, or pour in a water-ash solution, and then bury them. Ash remains in the soil for a long time: its constituent nutrients are slowly decomposed and processed by microorganisms living in the soil. Its action continues throughout the next season. For this reason, it is enough to fertilize blackberry beds with wood ash no more than once every 3 years.

In the absence of wood ash, an infusion on a mullein, or bone chips can act as a top dressing for blackberry bushes. It is recommended to introduce them in the same way as ash - in powder or liquid form in the furrows between the beds. Fresh manure is also suitable from organic fertilizers, however, its amount should be adjusted with caution. The ammonia contained in it, in case of an overdose, can harm the root system of the bush.

The site for fresh spring planting is also prepared in the fall. The ideal solution for blackberries would be a place well protected from strong northerly winds. Wetlands should be avoided, since an excess of moisture and a lack of oxygen in the soil is detrimental to this crop.In this case, the root system of the bushes does not receive sufficient nutrition, is affected by diseases, the plant ceases to bear fruit and eventually dies. Best of all, blackberries will feel on slightly acidic and neutral soils. Alkalization of the earth is also undesirable, since in this case the roots of the plant will poorly assimilate nitrogen, which can cause the development of chlorosis. In terms of soil composition, blackberries prefer loams - however, they must be well drained. For this purpose, sand is introduced into the soil at the rate of ½ bucket per 1 sq. M.

Preparation of the site for planting blackberry bushes begins with weeding. It is necessary to remove all weeds from future beds, and then dig them up half a meter deep. In the process of digging, you can add mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. The calculation is as follows: for 1 square meter, 100 g of superphosphate is enough and half the amount of potassium salt. Fresh manure can also be added in autumn, since the beds are still empty. The norm in this case is 10 kg per 1 sq. M. During the winter, soil microorganisms will process organic matter, and it will be evenly distributed over all soil layers. A mixture of drainage sand and fresh manure will create ideal conditions for future blackberry seedlings.

Autumn pruning of blackberry bushes is another important activity aimed at rejuvenating the plant and preparing it for winter. With the help of pruning, it is possible to achieve tillering of blackberry shoots and correct crown formation.

When to plant seedlings

The optimal time for planting blackberry seedlings in open ground is the autumn and spring periods. Spring planting is carried out before the buds swell, until the active growth phase of the plant begins. In autumn, seedlings are best planted in September - this way they will have enough time to settle down in a new place and get stronger before frost. In the case of an autumn planting, it is necessary to shorten the ground parts of the blackberry bushes to 0.3 m and cover them with non-woven material.

Before planting, it is necessary to dig square-shaped planting holes with sides of 0.4 m.The depth of the hole should be such that the depth of the root bud is at least 1-2 cm.If this condition is not met, there is a risk of being left without blackberries in the current season - they ripen only next year.

How to feed blackberries in spring

how to feed blackberries in spring

If, for any reason, it was not possible to feed the blackberries in the fall, it must be done in the spring. To stimulate active growth of a plant weakened after wintering, it is recommended to fertilize the beds with ammonium nitrate. Its active action will last for 45 days. The ammonium and nitrate nitrogen compounds included in it have different duration of assimilation by bacteria living in the soil. The ammonium form of nitrogen is assimilated by the plant almost immediately after feeding, and the nitrate form undergoes prolonged transformations.

Another way to saturate the blackberry with the nitrogen necessary during the period of active growth is to spray its crown with a solution of carbamide. Urea is a source of amide nitrogen, which enters plant tissues through the surface of leaf plates. In the case of root application by irrigation, this component will be absorbed from 1 week to 40 days. At high air temperatures, the process of converting the amide form of nitrogen into nitrate, which is absorbed by the root system, occurs faster.

For spring feeding of blackberries, potassium nitrate containing nitrogen and potassium is also suitable. It can be used both in powder and liquid form. Also in the spring you can add potassium itself, which has a beneficial effect on the ripening of blackberry fruits.

How to feed blackberries during fruiting

Blackberries are two-year-old plants: in the first year, buds appear on its shoots, in the second, flowers bloom and berries ripen.In order to make it more convenient to harvest, sorting and separation of shoots is carried out: growing shoots with buds are tied on one side, fruiting branches on the other. At the end of the season, the old shoots from which the fruits were collected should be cut off.

The ripening period of blackberries falls on the first two months of summer - depending on the variety. At this time, the plant needs additional supply of potassium, which affects the taste of the berries. To compensate for the lack of this element, potassium salt is introduced into the soil. It is also recommended to introduce organic matter - for example, a water-ash solution, which is used for root watering.

Fertilization

In order to prepare a solution of wood ash, pour 0.2 kg of ash with boiling water (10 l) and leave for 2-3 days. Phosphorus and potassium contained in ash, as well as other useful substances, help to strengthen the immune system of blackberries. In order to reduce the risk of diseases, it is enough to feed the plant with an ash solution twice a year.

Another way to feed the blackberries is to apply an herbal infusion called green manure. To prepare it, it is enough to pour crushed weeds with water and leave for 1-1.5 weeks. To speed up the cooking process, you can add ordinary yeast to the infusion at the rate of 0.1 kg per 10 liters. With the help of the microorganisms they contain, nutrients are quickly distributed in the soil. You need to add yeast to the infusion a day before the completion of the fermentation process. Watering with the resulting infusion will accelerate the growth of blackberry shoots, help young plants to take root, and also improve the nutritional properties of the soil.

On average, in the fruiting phase of blackberries, from 3 to 4 dressings are carried out. For the last fertilization procedure, you should choose a mixture that does not contain nitrogen, which stimulates the growth of young shoots. On the eve of winter frosts, this can lead to frostbite and the death of a part of the plant. Autumn feeding should be rich in potassium, this is especially important in the case of late varieties of blackberries, which are sometimes called ezhemalina due to their hybrid origin. These varieties bred by breeders are cold-resistant and can bear fruit until late autumn with proper nutrition.

Preventive measures against diseases

Blackberries are rarely affected by harmful insects. Failure to comply with agrotechnical recommendations can cause the development of fungal diseases. It is important to periodically inspect the bushes in order to timely detect signs of infection - whitish marks on the fruits. In this case, it is required to treat the infected plant with preparations of fungicidal action, for example, copper sulfate.

The shelter of blackberries for the winter consists in laying their shoots on the ground and mulching with a layer of peat, sawdust, and straw. Previously, as a preventive measure against fungal infections, you can spray the blackberry with a solution of copper sulfate.

Tillage between beds

Planting blackberry bushes in rows makes it much easier to care for them. This makes it much easier to till the soil, water the bushes and apply fertilizers. Support structures must be placed along the entire length of the beds, to which the blackberry shoots are tied.

In autumn, the soil between the beds of blackberry bushes should be loosened, dug up, fertilizing, and also sprinkled with dry ash.

Conclusion

The unpretentious and persistent blackberry needs a limited number of care measures. A competent choice of a site for planting, excluding swampy soils, will avoid most of the problems. The introduction of fertilizing contributes to the strengthening of the plant's immunity: it is enough to fertilize the blackberries with organic mixtures 1 time in 2 seasons. The taste of blackberry fruit largely depends on potassium, which is part of the mineral complexes introduced throughout the season.Subject to the necessary recommendations and sufficient nutrition, the blackberry will bear fruit until late autumn.